The newcomer for the next term, Daniel “Dan” Murphy, got the second highest number of the votes cast for commissioner Tuesday. There were four candidates seeking three open seats.

A total of 829 of the town’s 3,588 registered voters cast ballots for a 23.10 percent voter turnout rate. However, there seemed a steady stream of voters turning out on a beautiful fall Election Day to add to early voter totals.

Murphy, an investment broker in the area since 1999 and in Trent Woods since 2005, said, “I’m excited for the opportunity to serve the citizens of my town. I glad they have enough trust in me to give me their vote.”

High vote-getter Turney had said he felt “pretty good about my chances. We’ve kept taxes low, and there were no really big topics this time.”

Hands-on commissioner Joiner said he was pleased because “I enjoy doing what I do for the people of Trent Woods.”

Tyson said, “I am honored to be re-elected. I enjoy being mayor. We have some good projects on the drawing board, and I want to work with our commissioners to move Trent Woods ahead.”

Though ending with the least votes of the four running, first-time candidate Leissner garnered a respectable 20.9 percent of those cast.

“You have to start from somewhere, let people know you are really serious,” Leissner said at the polls. “Across the board, I think it was as good a campaign as you could imagine.”

Tyson said he was pleased with the newcomers “for throwing their hats in the ring. That’s what we need: new people, fresh blood in Craven County politics.”

Results do not become official until a Tuesday canvass by Craven County Board of Elections.

Sue Book can be reached at 252-635-5665 or sue.book@newbernsj.com. Follow her on Twitter@SueJBook.